Assassin
by Cao
Summary: Darkshipping AU. Bakura is an assassin for hire in feudal times, whereas Yami is the son of a man who hates the King. Chance brings the two together, first just casually, then for more dramatic circumstances.
1. Default Chapter

Assassin 

By Cao

Summary: Bakura is an assassin for hire in feudal times, whereas Yami is the son of a man who hates the King. Chance brings the two together, first just casually, then for more dramatic circumstances.

_Chapter One: In the Village_

A light breeze ruffled the treetops of the surrounding countryside, the birds chirping along with their cheerful tunes. The grasses danced in the wind and the river babbled quietly. All was peaceful.

Deep within the towering trees, a lone teen wandered aimlessly, an arrow protruding from his upper leg. In his pain he could recall the faces of his supposed friends and accomplices as they betrayed him, attacking him with their trade weapons. Exhausted, he collapsed to springy carpet of the forest floor. Blood flowed freely from the numerous knife wounds that covered his body and coated the green blades of grass. After that, his vision went dark and time passed out of his knowledge.

Shadows moved among the trees, watching the stranger as he fell to the ground and didn't rise. Cautiously, a small party of men from a hidden village approached the unconscious teen. Assuming he wouldn't wake, they lifted him onto a hastily made litter and carried him away into the shadows.

Russet eyes fluttered open to the vague sound of a woman chanting. Some sort of spell, he supposed. Pushing himself into a sitting position, he glanced around the room. It was plain, a simple room with no furnishings except the mat he was lying on. One of the walls was somewhat translucent with shadows standing behind it. The teen's heart quivered in slight fear.

"Where am I?" he demanded, pushing his silver hair out of his face. "And how did I get here?"

The chanting abruptly stopped and the shadows began to move. The bamboo curtain that hung in front of the low door was pushed back, revealing one of the shadows.

"You are in Tai, a village that has no king. By chance, or perhaps by fortune, you fell unconscious in the middle of our forest and were spotted, pitied and brought here by our watch," the tall man explained. "Ask no further questions. I am Tatsugi, the Elderman of this village. Now who are you and why did you enter our forest?"

"My name is Bakura," the stranger replied. "I entered this forest absent-mindedly, I was injured and had lost any sense of direction that I had."

A small child entered the room, revealing another of the shadows. The boy, no more than 6 years of age offered a wooden cup to Bakura, which accepted thankfully. The water in the cup was perfectly clear and glistened as Bakura swirled it around. Lifting it to his mouth, he swallowed the liquid in one rapid motion.

"There is more I wish to know, but perhaps you should rest before I question you further," Tatsugi stated. He placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder and guided him from the room. As the bamboo curtain swung back to its normal state, tinkering and swishing in the process, Bakura let his head fall back onto the pillow and drifted into a peaceful slumber.

He woke to the bright rays of the morning sun as they filtered through the thatched roof and played upon his face. Bakura could here people talking and walking passed the building outside. Children laughed as they ran between the adults, women sharing the recent gossip and men boasting about their latest success. Everyday talk you'd expect to hear in a normal village.

Staggering to his feet, Bakura limped to the door. The pain in his leg was reasonably less than it had been in the woods, but it stilled hurt quite a bit. Shoving the bamboo out of his way, he made his way down the hallway, searching for a door that led outside.

Trees still towered into the sky, but the sun could be seen through the large gaps overhead. As Bakura's eyes scanned the houses, he couldn't put any other village he had visited to match this one.

'Tai, Tai...Why haven't I heard of this place before?' he muttered in his head. Shaking his head in frustration, Bakura looked around and took in more details. The people he saw were ordinary people, to him different races and tribes looked exactly the same. What interested him was the uniqueness of how the village was set up. Instead of a square, like all the other villages, the Village Square was...a triangle. Three large buildings made up the sides. The two Bakura could see looked the same, with a few various touches. Smaller homes could be seen through the gaps.

'Like any other village, I suppose, just with its differences,' he muttered again. His eyes locked onto a raised dais in the middle of the triangle. Bakura's skilled eyes could make out brown stains on its surface. With a vague idea of what those stains were from, Bakura shifted his attention again, shuddering at the thought. Maybe this wasn't like any other village...

"I'm glad to see you're awake and walking about," Tatsugi greeted from behind, startling Bakura a little. The pale teen turned and found the Elderman standing next to him, his arms crossed behind his back. The tall man, Bakura noticed, had a different glint in his eyes than most men. His eyes were also gold, which most men didn't have either. His long, black hair was tied back and plaited into a simple braid that trailed down his back. All in all, Bakura concluded that this man was not to be taken lightly.

"Come, I would like to ask you a few questions," Tatsugi instructed, disappearing into the darkness of the hall. Bakura followed hesitantly. They entered a secluded room off of the main building and sat down on either side of a small table that held a map of the area.

"You are an intruder in this place, even if we did bring you here ourselves. We do not know whose ideas you support; ours or the King's," Tatsugi stated. "We believe in freedom of choice for everyone, not just those in command."

"The King's laws are unjust, but he is the king," Bakura interrupted. "I don't support any law, as I am a lawbreaker myself."

Tatsugi nodded and paused in thought. His yellow eyes seemed distant, as if he were trying to decide between two very important causes.

"What was your occupation before you became injured?" Tatsugi finally asked, breaking the silence. His indecisive gaze pierced Bakura's.

"I was an assassin for hire," Bakura confessed in a whisper, dropping his eyes. Silence once again filled the room. The soundless air sat heavy upon both occupants of the room. The conditions were broken, however, when another person entered the room.

Bakura's eyes followed the teen carefully as he pushed through the wooden door. His hair was a mix of red, black and gold, perfect arranged around his face. His skin was lightly tanned, contrasting sharply with his crimson eyes. More startling than his eyes was his choice of clothing. His torso was barely covered by a thin, semi transparent shirt made of silk and left a margin of skin uncovered to the hips. There, pants made of slightly thicker material hung loosely around his legs. Various piece of gold and silver jewelry adorned his flawless skin, each inlaid with a gem of some sort.

"What is it Yami?" Tatsugi asked softly as the teen stopped beside him. The answer was delayed; Bakura could tell that Yami was slightly afraid of him or his presence. He couldn't help but smirk.

"There's a messenger here for you father. He carries word from the scouts," Yami replied quietly, his smooth voice carried on the silence of the room. He looked up and glared at Bakura. The assassin had never seen anyone switch from being afraid to angry that fast.

"Who are you?" he asked sternly, the same tone etched in his voice that Tatsugi had used when they had first met. Bakura was caught off guard by the sudden question. Blatant anger rose inside him.

"This is Bakura. He will be a visitor to a village for a while," Tatsugi replied. Yami's eyes stayed locked with Bakura's. There was something different about this teen, Bakura concluded indefinitely.

"You can send the messenger in, I'm almost done here," Tatsugi stated, breaking the obvious tension between the two teens.

"As you wish father."

Bakura watched as exited the room, the light silk stirring in his movement. His eyes continued to follow the teen as he disappeared around the corner.

"That is my son, Yami. He doesn't trust outsiders and barely trusts my own judgement. He was kidnapped a while back, but he won't say what happened. He also doesn't like being looked at in a lustful way," Tatsugi explained.

"If he doesn't want to trust people, or want any staring eyes, then why does he choose to dress like that?" Bakura snapped back, aware that he was getting an evil stare from the Elderman.

"He only wears that when he's in the security of this house," Tatsugi hissed dangerously. He leaned forward and beckoned for Bakura to come closer. "I saw the way you looked at him. I would advise you not to lay even one finger on him, or I will personally see you executed. Do I make myself clear?" he spat. Bakura nodded his head slightly, too shocked at the change of tone to trust his own voice. The Elderman sat back and returned to his normal status. "You may stay within the village until the Spring. Winter in these woods is cold and unforgiving. Good day assassin."

With that, he stood up and left. Bakura also stood, but shakily sat back down. He had just been given a death threat by someone he barely even knew! Still shaking, he managed to get to the door and push it open. Breathing a sigh of relief, Bakura anxiously looked around for Yami, who was also nowhere to be seen.

As the days passed and Winter covered the land with a thick blanket of snow, Bakura learned how to fit in with the rest of the citizens of Tai. Because of his talent at killing, he was given the job of a hunter, to gather food for the village from the forest.

Bakura woke one morning, two months into Winter with a familiar chill creeping up his blankets. Shivering as he always did in the morning, Bakura peeled open his eyes and tried to shake the temptation of sleep away from him. Slowly taking off the blanket that covered his body, he slipped into the boots he had been given and instantly felt a little warmer. Wrapping himself in his dark fur cloak, he walked routinely to the dining room.

Tatsugi and his wife were seated at the large table in the center of the room. A warm fire crackled merrily in the grate and the food on the wooden surface was letting off a large amount of steam. Bakura scanned the room before sitting down in disappointment. Yami wasn't there.

Ever since the first day he had become a temporary citizen in the village, he had only seen the tri-color haired teen a few times, and each time only by chance. Tatsugi gave him a glare as he sighed and helped himself to the food that had been prepared. Bakura ignored it, the same glare had been directed at him for the past two months. It was routine. Every morning Bakura would come in a look around for Yami. Upon not seeing him, the assassin would sigh and sit down before helping himself to breakfast.

The Elderman was pleased with Bakura's disappointment. He had told his son of Bakura's antics the first day and Yami had taken extra precautions not to be seen.

Bakura finished his meal and left the warm room. The hallway was drafty as always, the cold seeping in from the outside. Stepping out into the cold, he dropped into knee high drifts. It must have snowed more overnight. Making his way to the weapon shed, he spoke greetings to a few of his few hunters before grabbing his tools and vanishing into the shadows.

The wind was strong this particular morning, but Bakura trudged on as scheduled. He found it very calming in the woods alone. The snow silenced most of the far off noises that tried to penetrate the calmness. After catching a few hares and young doe in his snares, he sat back on his heels and let the silence swallow him. Here he could ponder over the thoughts that cycled through his head daily.

A scream pierced the quiet, drawing Bakura from his thoughts. His head whipped up and turned in the direction the scream had come from. A second hurtled through the trees, bouncing off the tough bark.

"Please! Somebody help!" came a frantic voice. "Please! Anyone!"

Bakura took off through the snow banks that had been created by the wind. The ground gradually started to slope and then dropped suddenly, a steep hill that led to a sheer cliff. Bakura could see the footsteps where someone had walked and the trail that had been left after the person stepped on a root and slid down the hill. He searched for any sign of the fallen person. His sharp eyes spotted a hand clinging to the edge of the cliff's ledge.

"Hang on! I'll throw down a rope!" Bakura called to the other person.

"Please hurry! I can't hold on much longer!" the other answered, desperation clinging to his voice.

Adrenaline pounded in Bakura's ears as he undid the knot that tied the twisted rope to his belt. As soon as he had it undone, he cast the end down the hill. It skied across the snow and dropped over the ledge as the hand of the person hanging there disappeared. Another scream echoed through the gouge below as the rope suddenly went taut, almost dragging Bakura down the hill as well. Regaining his balance he heaved on the rope and hauled the fallen person over the cliff and safely onto the snow higher up.

Bakura almost dropped the rope when the hood of the fallen person's cloak slid off of his hair.

It was Yami.

The assassin's conscious began hastily reminding him of the threat Tatsugi had made. Cursing his mind, he did the most logical thing he could. He bent down to help Yami stand.

The other teen was crying as Bakura helped him stand. Yami began to slip again, causing Bakura to throw his arms around him to prevent the event from reoccurring. The tri-color haired teen steadied himself before looking up into the face of the one who had rescued him. Upon seeing Bakura, he panicked and tried to push him away, causing him to slip again. Bakura grabbed his forearms and held him steady.

"Let go of me!" Yami yelled, struggling against Bakura.

"Yami, stop it! If you do that, we'll both fall and then who will rescue us?!" Bakura shouted back. Yami immediately stopped moving in fear of having to cling to the rocks again. "I'll bring you up to the level ground and you can go from there, okay?"

Yami nodded and allowed Bakura to support him as they slowly made their way off the hill. As soon as they had reached a flat surface, Yami pushed himself away from Bakura and dashed away through the snow.

Bakura returned to his hunting, the silence no longer helping him to concentrate. Instead, he felt that something was missing. A certain warmth was missing. Yami's body, despite the fact that he had been out in the cold for who knows how long, had been warm against Bakura's skin. He shivered at the loss.

Frustrated with his lack of concentration, Bakura managed to catch o few pheasants before returning to the village. Dropping his catch beside the shed, he went back to the building he had been staying in. The halls were warmer than the morning; the fires had been stoked and fed to heat them.

As he walked down the hall, he heard the unmistakable sound of someone crying. Trying his best to ignore it, Bakura returned to his room, removing his heavy cloak in the process. He had just sat down on his mat when Tatsugi appeared in his doorway.

"I would like to have a few words with you, assassin," he stated soberly. Bakura stood and followed him to the room he had been questioned the first day. Sitting down, Tatsugi beckoned Bakura to do the same.

"I heard that you have touched my son," Tatsugi accused, a dark glare fixated on Bakura. "He was quite upset. You do remember my promise, right?"

"Yes I remember. But I was only trying to help him!" Bakura retorted, rising to his feet in protest.

"You still had no right! You could have pulled him up far enough for him to stand on his own and let him go off like that!" Tatsugi shouted, his dignity forgotten all of a sudden. "I should have you killed immediately!"

"No," came a soft voice from the door. Yami was standing there, his eyes were puffy from crying. Bakura resolved that it had been the tri-color haired teen he had heard when he entered the building.

"No? I thought you were upset about this," Tatsugi replied, his voice still dripping venom. Yami moved forward and stood in front of his father.

"Yes, I was upset. But I feel that I was over-reacting. He doesn't deserve to die just because he touched me. If Bakura hadn't come at that moment, I would be lying at the bottom of that cliff with at least a broken back, more likely dead," Yami explained, trying desperately to calm his father. Bakura had sat down again, listening to the argument in silence. Gathering his courage, he finally interrupted them.

"No, I agree with Elderman Tatsugi. He warned me not to lay a finger on his son, but in a sense of adrenaline I didn't heed his words. I accept my punishment, even if it's death," Bakura muttered. Both Tatsugi and Yami stared in disbelief at the assassin as he stood and walked to the door. "I'll be in my room. When you decide on a date for my death, I would like to know."

As Bakura walked down the hall, he heard more shouts echo from the room he had just left. From the sound of it, Yami had started to cry again. He smiled weakly and pushed aside the curtain to his room.

He lay down on his blanket and buried his head in his arms. A small tear trickled down his cheek. He didn't want to die, but he did go against what Tatsugi had instructed him. After everything the Elderman had done for him; supplied him with food, shelter and clothing, he had to go and disobey the one rule he had been given.

If only he had listened to his conscious when its alarm started going off. But now, because he didn't, he was going to pay with his life. Still half in his thought, he heard a soft knock on the wall outside his room followed by the singing of the bamboo as it was pushed aside.

"Bakura," Yami whispered, sitting down beside the other, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to over-react in the forest. It's just since I was kidnapped and...he paused and lowered his voice, "...raped, I haven't let anyone get that close to me. I'm scared something like that might happen again."

Bakura looked up and noticed Yami had tears running down his face. He was dressed in his 'house clothes', as Bakura had dubbed them, with a light cloak thrown over his shoulders.

"You were raped? I'm sorry, I didn't know," he apologized. Then, quieter, he asked the question that had been haunting him. "Has your father set an execution date?" Yami looked at him in bewilderment

"You're not going to be killed. I convinced my father to excuse you for your 'crime'," Yami replied. "It's almost time for supper. You won't want to miss this meal."

Bakura opened his mouth to asked Yami what was so special about it, but the other teen had already left the room, his footsteps getting softer as they echoed down the hall. The sadness left him as Yami's words settled in. The other teen had convinced his father, who had a temper hot enough to burn the entire forest to the ground, not to kill him. It was a risk on his part, angering his father like he had.

Bakura stood up and unconsciously made his way to the dining room. Halfway, he met Tatsugi, who was headed in the other direction. He still looked disgruntled, but he gave Bakura a small smile.

"It seems my son has taken a liking to you. I thank you for that. I would be honored to have you accompany me to the Meeting Hall," he stated and continued walking. Bakura shrugged and changed his direction to walk beside the Elderman. As they stepped outside, they joined the masses crowded in the triangle.

The other people parted to allow Tatsugi to move towards the largest building. Once inside, Tatsugi directed Bakura to the table at the front of the room. It was raised so that it could be seen from anywhere in the large room. The assassin sat down on one of the four large pillows that surrounded the table as Tatsugi vanished behind the curtain that hung by the table.

The room slowly filled as the people from outside were allowed to enter the building. They mingled around and sat at various tables around the room. Music began to softly walk through the chanting of the villagers, signaling the crowd to fall silent. Tatsugi, his wife and Yami entered the room and sat down at the table. As the rest of the standing people sat, the music faded away and Tatsugi stood again.

"Once again, we have been blessed with the ability to celebrate the coming of Spring. Let our time together be merry," he declared. Everyone cheered in agreement and started to talk again. Bakura watched as the children darted from their tables and crowded around a large table of food. Eventually they cleared away, and the rest of the people got up to get food.

Bakura was amazed by the amount of food that covered the table in front of him. He noticed a number of dishes that contained food that he had never seen before. He immediately helped himself to everything. After his plate was piled with as much food as possible, Bakura returned to the table. Yami was the only one there.

The tri-color haired teen's plate contained only a few spoonfuls of food. Bakura snorted at the amount.

"Is that all you're going to eat?" Bakura asked bluntly. Yami blushed and looked up.

"Yes, that is all I'm going to eat. I have a small stomach, it can't hold much."

"Suit yourself," Bakura shrugged and dove into his plate of food. Time passed and everyone had finally finished eating. Bakura had just finished his last bite of his third helping as the men pushed the table in the middle to the side to reveal a dance floor. Music began to play again. Tatsugi took the hand of his wife and led her out onto the floor among the other couples.

After a while, only Bakura and Yami remained seated. The other teen watched the couples dance with a longing in his crimson eyes. Glancing over at Bakura, he noticed the pale haired assassin's foot tapping to the beat. Gathering his courage, Yami approached Bakura.

The assassin turned around as he felt a finger lightly tap his shoulder. He gazed up at Yami with a question on his face.

"Will you dance with me?" the smaller teen whispered, his cheeks flaring to a bright red.

"Well...sure...but what about your father?" Bakura replied nervously.

"I don't think he'll care as long as I'm happy," Yami stated, his blush rapidly disappearing. "So, shall we dance?"

Bakura got to his feet and allowed Yami to practically drag him onto the dance floor. The world around them seemed to disappear as the music drifted around them. Bakura was completely intoxicated as Yami moved to the beat of the music. His body twisted and curved seductively, his limbs integrated with the sounds.

All to soon on Bakura's terms, the song ended and Yami headed back to the table, his desire to dance sated. Bakura followed numbly, his mind still fixated on the last few minutes.

"Thanks for dancing with me Bakura. I enjoyed it," Yami thanked, sitting down again.

"I enjoyed it too Yami," was all Bakura could manage to whisper back.

Tatsugi and his wife returned to the table. They sat, Tatsugi glaring at Bakura. Trying to ignore the Elderman's eyes, Bakura directed his attention to the rest of the room. He noticed that the people were slowly leaving now that the music had stopped.

"Yami, you should be getting to bed," Tatsugi's wife stated, standing up as the last person left the room.

"I suppose," Yami replied, getting to his feet. He followed the woman out the door, glancing back briefly to look at Bakura. Giving the assassin a smile and a small wave, he vanished into the dark night. Bakura stood to leave as well, but Tatsugi threw out an arm to stop him from following Yami.

"I would like to have a word with you," Tatsugi stated, pulling Bakura off to the side.

"He asked me to dance, I didn't suggest it..." he stammered, backing away from the tall man.

"That is not what I wish to talk to you about, although it does peeve me a little. No, I wanted to talk to you about your departure from us." Bakura gaped at the Elderman. "The feast we just ate was to welcome Spring, as tomorrow is the official first day of the season. That means your time among us has expired," Tatsugi explained. "We will see you off shortly after dawn. Be ready by then."

He left Bakura standing there stunned as he too walked out into the crisp air. The suddenness of Tatsugi's announcement had left him feeling...empty. As he left the building, he was completely unaware of the slush pooling around his feet, showing the rapidly changing weather.

Sleep came to him a few moments after his head hit his pillow. In those few waking moments, he recalled the first time he had opened his eyes and observed the room he now had grown accustom to. Pulling the warm blankets around him tighter, he fell asleep.

Birds were chirping and the sun had returned to the country when Bakura woke. The air was still a bit chilly, but its bite had lessened greatly. Spring was upon them. The pale teen yawned and stretched his arms into the air. As he dressed, a boy came to the door.

"Elderman Tatsugi is waiting to see you off," the boy announced. Bakura's heart dropped. He had forgotten that today was the day he had to leave the place he had come to call home. He walked sullenly passed the boy and entered the hall. Attempting to put a halt to the emotions that rose, he made his way down the corridor towards the exit.

Halfway he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Turning around, he found it was Yami. The tri-color haired teen had tears collecting in his crimson eyes. No words were exchanged between the two of them as Yami shuffled closer to the pale assassin. The shorter tilted his head down, his blond bangs falling to hide his tears. Bakura absent-mindedly wrapped his arms around the smaller teen and found that he was shaking.

"I don't want you to leave. I feel that you're the only one I can trust with my secrets," Yami whispered sobbing, tears running down his cheeks freely now. Wiping away the tears as they fell, Bakura tipped Yami's face up and gazed into his saddened eyes. As if pulled by gravity, the gap between their faces closed and Bakura caught Yami's lips with his own for a brief moment.

Yami's eyes flew wide and he pushed Bakura away. Fear mingled with surprise in his bloodshot crimson orbs. Tears still running down his face, Yami darted passed Bakura and into his father's arms.

"How dare you. After everything I've done for you...everything I let you get away with...You had to go and violate my trust by imposing on my son," Tatsugi exclaimed, his voice dripping venom yet again.

Two men appeared at Bakura's side, each taking him by the arm. He was therefore prevented from taking off. The men hauled Bakura outside to where a crowd had been waiting to see him off. They started whispering as Bakura jerked on the hold of the larger men. Tatsugi emerged from the building shortly and the crowd fell silent.

"This man, whom we accepted warmly into our tightly-knit folds has stepped passed what was expected of him. This very morning, only a few minutes passed, he attempted to take my son as his own," Tatsugi announced to the people, earning a gasp in reply. The whispers started up again, this time with more harsh glances at Bakura.

"I did not 'attempt to take your son as my own', it was a simple kiss!" Bakura snapped. Still struggling to get free. Tatsugi ignored him.

"I propose he be put to death immediately, before he is able to harm more innocent people," he called over the murmuring of the people. Cries of agreement erupted at once. Bakura was shoved through the mass of people towards the raised platform he had seen on his first sight of the village.

A block with a curve carved out of it was heaved up onto the dais with Bakura. The assassin noticed familiar brown stains on the wood before he was blindfolded and pushed to his knees. His head was forced down and his neck was set in the curve. Fear coursed through his veins as Bakura prepared himself for an inevitable death.

It never came. Instead, he felt a weird sensation, like a soft wind wrapping around his entire form. He heard the crowd cry in disappointment before suddenly falling silent. The crudeness of the wood also vanished at that moment.

Yami watched as Bakura was moved away from the house...and onto the execution platform. The pale assassin was blindfolded with a piece of black cloth and forced the his knees. A solemn tear slid from Yami's eyes as it dawned on him. Bakura was about to be killed because he had panicked over an innocent kiss. His breath hitched as more tears coursed down his face.

'Bakura doesn't deserve to die. His action was meaningless,' Yami concluded to steady himself. Taking a deep breath, he summoned a force from within his soul and carefully placed it around Bakura. As the axe started to fall towards the assassin's outstretched neck, Yami concentrated on his task.

Bakura's form vanished in the blink of an eye as the blade was inches from his skin. Yami collapsed in exhaustion. Bakura was safe; the villagers, and his father, wouldn't be able to kill him.

_Author's Notes_

Cao: That is the longest chapter I have ever written. I hope everyone likes it so far! Chapters will be out hopefully once a month, it takes forever for me to type them.


	2. In the City

Chapter Two: In the City 

Bakura ripped the torn piece of cloth away from his eyes and blinked in sudden surprise. He was no longer among the shouting crowds that wanted him dead, instead, he was in the forest again. He realized that he must be far away from the village, as the trees were smaller and the vegetation on the ground was a lot thicker. Long grasses swayed in a light breeze and clumps of bushes hugged the trunks of the trees.

An image of a face shimmered on the surface of his mind. Yami had sent him away somehow, using magic Bakura hadn't known he had had. Yami had save his life, on purpose. Something like that couldn't have been an accident.

'A life for a life, I guess. But that's twice that he's saved me now,' Bakura mused as he got to his feet. 'I guess I owe him something.'

The trees around him eventually thinned out as he neared the edge of the great forest. Bakura sighed inwardly as the forest came to an abrupt stop to give way to rolling grasslands. Cattle could be seen grazing not far away, so Bakura assumed he was near some village in the north.

Tucked between a few of the surrounding hills, was the village Bakura had expected to find there. Looking a second time, he noticed again how different this village was from Tai. People were busy working in the field while children and a few of the village's dogs darted around happily. Yet the adults looked very weary. The laws had taken away most of their freedoms.

This town was under the reign of the King. Bakura saw now, after living in Tai and hearing their opinions about the laws, that the King's rule was indeed corrupt. Reaching into his memory for his stealth skills that hadn't been used for a while, Bakura edged unseen around the hills to the front of the little town.

By the name on the rusty gate, Bakura could tell he was a little more than eight leagues from the capital. As quiet as a shadow, Bakura ghosted away south, towards the prospering city of Saredi.

Bakura collapsed under the cover of a few shabby trees half to the city for the night. His presence went unnoticed by the occasional other travelers that used that road. When the sun woke him in the morning as it had done for his entire life, he continued his journey south. As he walked, he was in a constant daze, thoughts of Yami and Tai kept playing through his mind over and over again.

As dusk began to fall on the second day, Bakura spotted the topmost tower of the Royal castle in Saredi. His strength and energy renewed, he began to run, the gates climbing rapidly into his view.

The large metal gates were propped open halfway, a few workers from the fields hurrying inside before the door was closed and locked for the night. Bakura lowered his head and walked through the gate unchecked and unnoticed by any of the guards that stood either on top to the wall or beside the gate itself.

Once inside, Bakura immediately headed for the one place he had come to call home in his lonely life. The shabby front of the familiar tavern appeared before him, filled with drunken laughter as usual.

Bakura hailed the bartender as he walked through the door and took a seat at the counter on one of the rickety stool that sat there. The bartender instantly filled a large glass with a dark ale and handed it to Bakura.

"I'm surprised to see you alive Bakura. There have been rumors floating around since the beginning of Winter that you had been killed in the north," he whispered, picking up an empty glass and starting to wipe out the inside with a cloth.

"I survived," Bakura replied bluntly. "It's good to see you too, Horaku."

Horaku chuckled and backed away to attend to his other customers. A few of Bakura's other companions noticed him and they too expressed their surprise at finding him alive.

After chatting with his old, still loyal, friends, he walked slowly up the stairs and enter the first door on the right. Looking inside, he was glad to see that everything was where he had left it before he had left in the Autumn. The blanket was still in a clump in the middle of the bed and the chest in the corner was still locked fast. Collapsing wearily on his creaky bed, he could hear the echo of the shouts and harsh laughter drifting through the floor boards. The noise level was ignored as Bakura drifted off into an exhausted sleep.

News of Bakura's 'coming back from the dead' circulated around the city faster than he had expected. The assassin had many visitors, both friends and regular customers, over the next few day. He was in the middle of a meal with a few of his closest friends when three guards, each wearing the green uniform of the King's Royal Guard, trampled into the bar.

Everything fell silent as the three crossed the room and approached Bakura. The assassin just sat where he was, no emotions showing on the surface of his face. But inside his fears were taking hold. The tallest guard pulled out a piece of fresh parchment, bearing the seal of the king in wax on the front. Breaking it open, he showed it to Bakura.

"We have orders to escort Hokori Bakura to the king. Any move to resist will result in pain," the tallest guards announced.

"I am Hokori Bakura. What does 'His Majesty' want with me? To throw me in jail, perhaps?" Bakura sneered, swirling his drink in his hand.

"The King's business is not our own business. You will find out the purpose when we get there," the guard sneered back as the other two grabbed Bakura by the upper arms. Bakura remained quiet and allowed the guards to haul him from the tavern.

The small group attracted many odd and curious looks as they made their way towards the castle. The pale assassin ignored the large quantity of whispers that buzzed passed his ears and spread through the gather crowds like a wildfire.

The guards at the gate to the castle leered at him from their posts. Bakura shivered and closed his eyes, allowing himself to be led blindly by the two men that still held his arms firmly. He could tell they were descending into a dungeon, or a basement room by the amount of steps he stumbled down in a spiral direction. He felt himself being pushed to the rough stone floor. It was then that he opened his eyes again.

He was in a low room with only two torches to give light to the stone room. On the far side of the room, he could make out the shape of another man. He was not a guard, Bakura could tell from the first glance, he held himself differently. His wonderings were silenced as the man spoke.

"Horoki Bakura, I have an offer for you if you wish to take it," the figure stated from the shadows, staying the cover of darkness.

"Who do you want me to kill and what's the reward?" Bakura inquired almost automatically.

"I knew you would accept," the other replied, sounding very pleased. He turned and stepped into the little light that the torches gave. He was wearing long, dark green robes of silk and a large amount of gold. It was the king.

"I have heard from a few of my most talented men that there is a group residing up north near the border who refuse to follow my laws. I want them dead," the king stated bluntly.

"Yeah, I've heard of them too, but how do you expect me to find this place?" Bakura asked nervously, knowing exactly where the king was talking about. It was Tai.

"You know where it is, you lived there for a matter of months over the Winter," the king accused. Bakura was startled, the news had gone this far?

"Alright, so I did live there for a bit, but I was unconscious going in and blindfolded going out," Bakura admitted, explaining what he had meant.

"My men will take you. They would have finished the job, but their are too great. We need someone highly skilled in stealth," the king stated, suddenly appearing very pleased.

"Like me," Bakura finished, dropping his head, which went unnoticed by the king. "What am I looking at as reward for this horrendous deed?"

"Anything you could possibly desire, besides my kingdom, that is,"

Bakura thought for a moment, images of piles of jewels and gold soaring into the sky. But a different, more convincing image arose. It was Yami. He was part of that village, meaning, he would have to be killed as well. There was no chance that he would be spared, with him being male and old enough to wield a weapon. The women and children the king might allow him to spare, but a teen that could fight? Not likely.

"As you already know, I lived in that village for a short time. There was a young male who caught my eye. I was wondering if I could have him as a reward," Bakura asked hopefully, secretly wishing the king would say yes.

"That seems alright, I suppose. I'll have him delivered to you as soon as one of my men can get into the village to take him," the king agreed. Bakura gave a silent cheer of victory in his head at those words.

"Once he is delivered to you, you will have five days to complete your task. If you fail, your 'reward' will be killed. Do I make myself clear?" Bakura nodded vaguely, his mind still on the thoughts of getting Yami out. "You'll have to describe him and explain where he will be to one of my men in order to get him."

Bakura was let out a bit later, after the king sucked out all the information he had on Tai. He returned to the tavern and, ignoring the shocked looks from the others in the bar, headed straight upstairs and tossed himself onto his bed, the springs moaning in complaint.

The last few hours flew by in Bakura's head. He had just agreed to slaughter an entire village. Not only that, but he had come to know most of those people over the few months he had been there. They had welcomed him in with out a word against his presence. They had fed him, clothed him and sheltered him. When Bakura was found in the forest, they could have turned away and let him die, but he had been given a second chance because of their kindness.

But there was that small fact that they had all spun around and cheered for his execution in the blink of an eye. They had been fully prepared to kill him, and would have succeeded if Yami hadn't intervened.

A headache throbbed in Bakura's head as he made his final decision. Since they had been ready to kill him, he would be ready to kill them. Only Yami would be spared from his duty. Bakura fell asleep with a smug feeling on his mind.

He slept through the whole night and most of the next day, not waking once, with dreams of victory playing in his head. After the lunch meal had been served downstairs, a sharp knock brought Bakura back to the world of the awake.

"Bakura, you a have a visitor at the back door," a small boy called through the door. The pale assassin grunted and heaved himself off the bed. He open the door groggily and walked passed the boy and descended to the floor below.

Two hooded figures were standing in the back doorway. One held a tall brown horse in one hand and the arm of the other figure in the other. Bakura could tell that he was bound and gagged by the awkward positions of his arms and the mumbled words from his mouth.

"Your 'reward'," the other stated gruffly. Bakura assumed it was one of the king's men. "You have five days."

The hooded guard shoved Yami forward and mounted his horse, galloping away through the small gate at the other side of the courtyard. Holding Yami's head down, Bakura moved both of them back through the bar and up the stairs. Once they were both in Bakura's room and the door was securely closed, Bakura removed Yami's hood.

The younger boy had tears spilling from his bloodshot eyes. Upon seeing Bakura, Yami pushed himself away with his shoulder and stumbled towards the wall. Bakura cornered him and wrapped his arms around the shaking teen. Yami struggled, but Bakura remained in place. A few moments later, the assassin removed his arms, a thick length of rope dangling from his hand.

Yami blinked in surprise and rubbed his sore wrists. They were red and irritated. The tri-color haired teen looked up expectantly and turned around. Bakura chuckled and undid the knot in the piece of cloth that covered Yami's mouth. The younger immediately launched into a ramble of questions.

"Why did you have me brought here? What do you have five days to do? How did that man know where to find our village?" Yami ranted, his eyes showing confusion brewing beneath the surface.

"Whoa, slow down Yami. One question at a time. I brought you here so that you would be spared from my current job. I have five days to kill everyone in your village, or face the consequences. As to how they found your village, your guess is as good as mine," Bakura explained quickly. Yami's eyes widened and filled with tears again.

"You...you're going to kill everyone? Why?" Yami stuttered, stepping back from Bakura. "Why did you choose to save me?"

Bakura sighed. This was going to be hard to explain to the younger male.

"Yami, the king made a deal with me. If I eliminated the village that had opposed for the past few years, he would give me whatever I wanted," Bakura started.

"So you choose me as a reward?! Am I some sort of prize that's to be handed off to whoever wants me?! I should have let my father kill you!" Yami retorted. Fuming, he slapped Bakura across the cheek. The assassin took a step backwards to steady himself. A red mark rose to the surface of his skin.

"Yami, please, listen to me! That's why I picked you! Because you saved my life, I felt like I owed you something, okay?" Bakura stammered, one of his hands pressed to his cheek, which burned like one hundred bees had stung him. He desperately tried to regain control over the hyperventilating teen. Yami attempted to slap him again, but collapsed into Bakura chest.

"Please don't kill them Bakura. Please," Yami cried softly. "They don't deserve it."

Bakura held the shaking teen and guided him over to the low, worn out bed. Settling Yami under the blankets, Bakura sat down on the pillow. Lifting Yami's head gently into his lap, he stroked the younger's soft hair.

"I'm sorry Bakura. I didn't mean to explode on you. I just don't see why you have to kill them all," Yami whispered softly.

"They won't follow the king's command, so, naturally, he wants them dead. I don't really have anything against them, but if I didn't accept the job, the king would have had me killed," Bakura whispered back, still stroking the teen's hair.

Yami was soon asleep, his head still nestled in Bakura's lap. He looked so peaceful, his breaths were deep and even and his cheeks were slightly flushed from his earlier crying. Bakura eased Yami's head off his legs and onto the pillow. He carefully laid himself down beside Yami and held the shorter teen close and fell asleep.

When Bakura woke a little while later, he found Yami playfully twisting a few of Bakura's pale locks between his fingers.

"Yami?" Bakura asked confusedly. Yami's hand froze and his crimson eyes slowly drifted upwards until they locked with Bakura's. The hand shot away from the hair it had been twisting and buried itself in the folds of the blanket. Bakura smiled as Yami tilted his head down and blushed furiously. Reaching down, Bakura cupped Yami's chin with his hand and brought his ruby gaze upwards.

"Do you play with everyone's hair when they're asleep?" Bakura asked amusedly. Yami blushed even redder and started muttering.

"No, I was just fascinated with the way yours glowed in the sunlight," Yami replied quietly. Bakura chuckled again and pulled Yami closer.

"There's something else that you're not telling me, isn't there?" Bakura whispered smugly into the boy's ear. Yami dropped his eyes and blushed again before nodding.

"I...I...Since the first time we met, I felt a strong pull towards you. I...I feel as if I...I love you," Yami muttered before falling completely silent. Bakura was stunned by Yami's words. The teen loved him? He was utterly confused.

"Yami, I..." Bakura stuttered. His comment was cut short, however, as Yami roughly pressed his lips to Bakura's. Panting, he pulled away and flipped over so that his back was to the assassin and his face was to the wall. Bakura placed his fingers on his lips and grinned like a Cheshire cat. He too rolled over, but swung his legs out of the bed instead and stood up.

Setting a light kiss on Yami's forehead, the assassin turned and left the room. He returned shortly with a plate of hot food. At the smell of fresh bread, Yami turned over and glanced shyly at Bakura. Again he blushed and hid his face in the pillow.

"Yami don't hide that pretty face of yours and come have some food. I dare say you must be hungry," Bakura chuckled. Yami lifted his head and looked curiously at Bakura.

"You're not mad at me?" Yami asked quietly. Bakura shook his head and sat down on the bed.

"How could I be? I feel the same way about you," Bakura replied, spreading some butter on one of the slices of bread. Yami's eyes widened and his mouth moved, but no sound was heard. Bakura spoke instead.

"I love you, Yami."

A lone tear trickled down Yami's cheek as he threw his arms around Bakura's waist. The assassin lifted the tray again and set it on the bed beside Yami. He then reached over and moved Yami so that the teen was sitting comfortably in his lap.

Yami continued to blush and let his head fall against Bakura's chest. The assassin wrapped one arm around Yami and used the other to pick up a piece of the freshly made bread. The tri-color haired teen accepted the food and eagerly took a bite. Finding that he liked the taste, the rest of the morsel rapidly disappeared.

Bakura offered more food to Yami, which he took and devoured. Yami ate the whole tray of food before sighing deeply and relaxing into Bakura's now two-handed hold.

"I'm glad you feel the same way as me, but I still don't understand why so many have to die," Yami murmured.

"I wish they didn't have to, but if I don't kill them, the king will kill you instead," Bakura explained.

"I don't get this society. He's the one who creates all the problems, but he insists that others have to die instead. My people avoid him because his rule is corrupt. Now, because he conned you into doing his dirty work, even more lives are at stake," Yami stated. "He's the problem."

Bakura's mind suddenly spun around and flew into an alternate plan. Images and possible procedures cycled rapidly through his head, forming one master plan.

"What if I was to exterminate the main problem, instead of the little problems created at the main problem's movements?" he voiced. Yami's head shot up.

"You mean...kill the king instead?" Yami inquired cautiously, keeping his voice down. Bakura nodded.

"Yes. As you said, he's the problem. So why not get rid of him? When you're trying to destroy a nest of termites, you don't destroy the food they eat, you go directly for the nest itself," Bakura explained. Yami nodded in understanding and fell into deep thought.

"But that's a personal risk, isn't it? You could be killed in the process, or executed for murder," Yami suggested after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes, but it's well worth your happiness," Bakura replied, hugging the smaller teen closer. "Why don't we forget about this idea for the present time and head downstairs. The evening crowd should be gathering."

"Alright, I suppose so. After all, I've never been to a bar before," Yami agreed.

"I just have to warn you, the evening crowd can be very rough and have crude language. So, just ignore whatever they say and stay close to my side," Bakura cautioned, helping Yami to his feet. The smaller teen nodded and pressed himself into Bakura's side.

Together they made their way down the stairs and into the main room. As Bakura had suspected, the room was full of people, all shouting, laughing and sloshing down beer. As they entered the room, many eyes were drawn to Yami as he walked beside Bakura into the room. Cat-calls started and Yami blushed.

"Nice job, Bakura. Where'd you find the sexy bitch?" one called out as they passed.

"Ignore them Yami," Bakura growled under his breath. Yami nodded and moved closer to Bakura, his body was tense with fear. They found an empty table in the back and sat down. Yami seated himself on Bakura's lap, feeling unsafe to sit on his own. Horaku sauntered up to their table and Yami shrunk against Bakura's body. The assassin chuckled.

"It's alright Yami. Out of all the men here, Horaku's the least likely to hurt you. After me, that is," Bakura explained. Yami relaxed a little and looked up at the bartender.

"And what can I get you two to drink tonight?" Horaku asked amusedly.

"The usual, a rich ale," Bakura replied. Horaku scribbled something down on his paper and turned to Yami.

"I'll just have a water please," Yami asked quietly. Horaku raised his eyebrows.

"Suit yourself. I'll bring you a large glass to split between the two of you, just in case, Bakura," Horaku stated and left their table.

"What's wrong with having water?" Yami asked confusedly.

"Horaku might be an polite guy, but it's his habit to spike anything that's not already loaded with alcohol," Bakura replied. "And it's usually the strongest stuff."

Yami frowned and nodded. Horaku returned carrying two glasses; one unmistakably filled with a brown ale, the other containing a somewhat clear substance. Yami gingerly sniffed the unknown liquid and whipped his away instantly.

"That is not water. I doubt there's even water in that," Yami grimaced, pushing the cup away. Bakura laughed and took a sip of his ale.

"I did warn you," he chuckled. "Here, you can have some of mine." Yami took the glass and sniffed it as well. Content with the scent, the younger teen tipped the cup to his mouth.

By the time everybody started to leave, some time well after midnight, Yami had downed three large glasses of the brown ale. He was swaying and hiccuping on Bakura's lap.

"Alright Yami, I think it's time for bed," Bakura suggested, lifting the teen to his feet. Yami swayed again and fell against Bakura giggling. The assassin sighed and swung Yami up into his arms. The men still in the bar grinned as Bakura walked passed with Yami.

"Is he a screamer?" One asked drunkenly. Bakura ignored him with a scowl and disappeared up the stairs. Before they reached the room, Yami had fallen asleep in Bakura's arms. Every once and a while, the tri-color haired teen would give a small hiccup in his sleep. The pale assassin set Yami on the bed and pulled the blanket up to the teen's chin.

Placing a kiss on Yami's forehead, Bakura walked over to the small window and gazed out into the night. The silhouette of the castle was foreboding against the empty, dark sky. Bakura sighed. Things had gotten so complicated. He would give all most anything to have everything return to normal.

For love, he was prepared to take the biggest risk of his life. He was planning to assassinate the highest man in the country, the king. Bakura didn't know if the public would approve or disapprove, but for Yami, he had to go through with it. Sighing, he turned away from the light breeze that was blowing. He sat down gently beside Yami's sleeping form. The other teen had finally stopped hiccuping and had slipped into a deeper sleep.

Bakura lay himself down and pulled Yami close to his body. The tri-color haired teen squirmed in Bakura's arms before settling on the assassin's chest. Bakura fell asleep in perfect peace, his arms wrapped tightly around the perfect angel lying next to him.

In the morning, Bakura again woke to Yami playing with his hair. He placed a light kiss on the teen's lips and caused a giggle to sneak from Yami's mouth.

"Good morning Yami. How do you feel?" Bakura questioned, worried about what the amount of alcohol that Yami consumed would do to him.

"I have a headache," Yami complained. "And my stomach hurts."

"That's no surprise. You drank a lot of ale last night," Bakura chuckled, kissing Yami again. "But, for your health's sake, I don't think we should do that again any time soon."

Yami laughed and sat up. Yawning, he swung his legs out of the bed and stared down at a beer stain that covered the knee of his pants. He frowned.

"I don't have any other clothes to wear Bakura. I didn't have time to take any with me," Yami stated, standing up.

"I'll go out and get you a few new pairs. But you have to promise me that you won't leave this room," Bakura replied, getting to his feet also. Yami nodded and sat down on the bed again. Bakura smiled and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. As he left the bar, he could faintly make out a few men sitting in the dark corner. What he didn't notice was their movement when he headed out the door.

Once out in the street, he quickly located the nearest tailor and entered the quaint little store. He flipped through a few styles of pants and selected two kinds that he thought would look good on Yami. After that, he moved on and decided to look at some of the shirts.

Feeling sorry for tearing the boy away from his family like he had, he bought a dark silk shirt along with a few others before heading back to the tavern. As he neared the building, harsh shouts and rounds of laughter erupted from the room within and reached Bakura's ears.

'They're probably teasing some animal or a homeless boy,' Bakura mused as he pushed open the door. What he saw horrified him.

Yami's arms were tied together and attached to the underside of one of the tables. The tri-color haired teen was missing his shirt and was stretched out across the table on his back. Dirty hands belonging to the men Bakura had seen out of the corner of his eye were roaming across his exposed chest, tweaking his nipples and other harsh administrations. Tears were streaming from his eyes as he squirmed and tried to get away.

Bakura let the door slam behind him. The men immediately withdrew their hands from Yami's quivering body and backed away from the bound teen.

"Bakura! Please help me!" Yami cried, tears still sparkling in the corners of his eyes. Bakura shoved his way to the table and untied Yami from his place on the table. The tri-color haired teen buried his face in Bakura's shoulder and continued to sob. The assassin sent a glare of pure venom at the other men in the room.

Holding the shaking teen protectively, Bakura gently lead him up the creaky flight of stairs and into their room. Yami sank to the bed and continued to cry.

"I'm sorry Bakura. I...I didn't want them to, I didn't want to break your promise, but after you left...they came in here and carried me out...I tried to get away, but..." Yami stuttered and broke up.

"Shh...Yami, it's okay. It's not your fault. I'm not mad at you," Bakura assured him, rubbing his back in a calming motion. Yami eventually stopped shaking and drifted off to sleep, with Bakura still caringly comforting him. The tri-color haired teen sighed quietly and curled into a loose ball.

Bakura smiled and curved his body around the smaller teen. As much as he wanted to remain in one place, safe with Yami, he knew that if he didn't leave soon, the king would get suspicious. Glancing down at Yami's peaceful face, Bakura sighed and slipped into a less that relaxing sleep.

Rain was pouring from the sky as Bakura stirred from his sleep a few hours later. For once Yami wasn't playing with his hair. The teen still lay fast asleep under the covers beside him. Smiling at the sight, Bakura stretched his arms and stood up.

At the assassin's movements, Yami's eyes fluttered open and he turned his crimson gaze up at Bakura. The pale haired teen smiled again and placed a small kiss on Yami's forehead.

"I want you to stay here, okay? I'm just going downstairs to talk to Horaku," Bakura stated softly, tucking the blankets under Yami's chin. The other nodded and closed his eyes again.

The bar was empty when Bakura hit the floor at the bottom of the stairs. Horaku looked up from where he had been wiping the counter and proceeded to put the rag down.

"Sorry 'bout what happened earlier 'kura. The night crowd was still hanging around when you left; all drunk, of course. I couldn't stop them," Horaku explained, obviously afraid of the reaction he would get from the pale assassin.

"I won't hold anything against you, friend, but I need a little help," Bakura started, launching into his plan. He explained how and why Yami was here and what the king's expectations were and his own predicament. Once Bakura was finished, Horaku was stunned. He started to stutter, picking up his cleaning cloth and putting it down again.

"So, you're planning on..." He lowered his voice, "killing the king, right?" Bakura nodded.

"I don't want to make Yami unhappy by killing his village, but I don't want to lose him either. Assassinating the source of these problems is the only possible way for everything to be alright again," Bakura explained. "I just need to know if there is a place not far from the city where Yami and I can hide out for a bit."

"Actually, I think there is a place. It was abandoned a while again, but it should be in well enough condition to be inhabitable," Horaku answered thoughtfully. "It's just up the road. If you leave now, you should be able to get there before dark."

"Alright, we'll try it," Bakura stated, turning back to the stairs. "We'll leave through the rear exit."

Bakura returned to the room where Yami was sitting awake on the bed, his new clothes covering his body.

"We're leaving Yami," Bakura explained as he open the old chest that sat in the corner of the room. In it was a few changes of clothes as well as a couple spare blankets. Concealed in a secret compartment in the bottom of the chest was Bakura's dagger. Yami stared at it in sheer amazement. His eyes followed the dagger as Bakura buckled it to his belt.

The assassin dropped his clothes, as well as Yami's new clothes, into a rough sack and set it by the door, As he flung his cloak over his shoulders, Yami got the hint and donned the cloak that he had been hidden in as well.

"Why are we leaving? Are we in danger here?" Yami asked curiously as they entered the hallway, Bakura swinging the sack over his shoulder.

"We're leaving so that it looks like I'm off to do my job. I have no doubts that the king is having me watched inside the city," Bakura replied, throwing his hood over his hair. Once again, Yami copied his moves.

Horaku had moved from cleaning the counter and was now washing each individual table. He glanced over briefly and gave a small wave to Bakura. The assassin waved back and ducked out into the downpour, Yami's upper arm in his grasp.

-------------

Cao: Well, there's chapter two. Hope you liked it (enough to leave a review, perhaps?)


	3. Author Apologizes

Apologizes.

I am extremely sorry for the horrendous delay between chapters, but I fear that they're only going to get longer. My parents, who are very strict, found the rough draft to my story 'Reminiscence' and have decided to ground me from the internet for all eternity and past. So, typing the other chapters of 'Nostalgia' and 'Assassin' are going to be tough as I will have to dodge my parents. Once again, I apologize for the lack of story.

-Cao


	4. Author's Explanation

*pokes back in momentarily*

It's been over three years since I stopped writing here, and yet I find that I continue to get reviews on my stories. I thank you for your interest, but the fact still remains: I'm not writing fanfiction any more. While I did finish Reminiscence online, that's the only one I have. Nostalgia and Assassin were shredded years ago and my mind has completely forgotten how I ended them. I could pick them up again, but my mind is now devoted to my own creation, which has taken over much of my brain.

Again, I thank you for your support, but I'm not coming back.

Cao.


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